Binder strip for shoe uppers



Dec. 29, 1964 M. C. SIMONS ETAL BINDER STRIP FOR SHOE UPPERS Filed May 15, 1963 INVENTORS MAURICE C. SIMONS SAMUEL 'HUBERMAN ATTORN EYS United States Patent Ofitice 3,162,962 Patented Dec. 29, 1964 3,162,92 BENDER STRIP FGR SHGE UPPERS Maurice (I. Simons, Swampscott, and Samuel Huberman,

Marblehead, Mass, assignors to Bennett Products Company, Lynn, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed May 15, 19%, Ser. No. 289,642 Claims. (Cl. 36-51) The present invention relates to a shoe upper provided with a novel combined binder and elastic strip folded over the upper edge of the shoe upper in a novel manner to provide certain advantages not heretofor achieved.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such a shoe upper in which the aforesaid strip functions to impart elasticity to the upper edge of the upper and to insure a snug but yieldable fit of such upper edge around the foot at all times without discomfort and also functions as a binder for binding the upper edge to protect it and provide a more attractive appearance than has been heretofore achieved with conventional binders.

Lengths of elastic, e.g. elastic gores, braids, etc., have been used for many years along the upper edge of shoe uppers to impart elasticity thereto and to insure that such upper edge will fit snugly but yieldably around the foot at all times. A serious disadvantage of all these elastic lengths is that they contact the foot of the wearer and the rubbing thereof against the foot which results from stretching and contraction of the elastic is uncomfortable. Furthermore, they are relatively unattractive in appear ance, particularly in the manner in which they are attached to the shoe upper.

Accordingly, it is a further object of the invention to provide shoe uppers of the type described above in which the elastic of the combined elastic and binder strip provides the upper edge of the shoe upper with elasticity and insures a snug but yieldable fit of such upper edge around the foot at all times without rubbing against the foot during expansion and contraction thereof and hence without discomfort to the wearer and yet which is much more attractive and pleasing in appearance than known types of elastic lengths as well as known types of binders. The very construction of the present invention which avoids foot discomfort adds to the attractiveness of the shoe.

These objects are achieved in accordance with the present invention by folding over and securing to at least a portion of the upper edge of the shoe upper a combined binder and elastic strip comprising a length of elastic material enclosed and secured in a strip of non-elastic binder material such as leather or vinyl, which extends widthwise from one side edge thereof around the elastic back to a position opposite such one side edge to substantially cover the elastic and then past such one side edge into a tail portion. The part of the binder material strip around the elastic is gathered i.e., crinkled, in a longitudinal direction to permit longitudinal elongation (stretching) and contraction thereof together with the length of elastic therein. The tail portion of the binder material strip is ungathered, i.e., uncn'nkled. The combined elastic and binder strip is folded over the upper edge of the shoe upper with the elastic and the gathered portion of the binder material strip covering the same lying along the outside of the shoe upper embraced by the combined strip and with the ungathered tail portion lying along the inside of the shoe upper embraced by the combined strip. No substantial part of the covered elastic comes into contact with the foot of the wearer and the crinkled and beaded effect of the covered elastic, which is visible along the edge of the upper, provides an exceedingly attractive appearance. The elastic and crinkled portion of the binder material strip covering the same provides the upper edge of the shoe upper with elasticity and holds such upper edge snugly but yieldably around the foot at all times. However, the only portion of the combined strip which contacts the foot is the tail portion of the binder material strip which is not stretched and contracted with the elastic and crinkled elastic covering portion of the binder material strip.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the annexed drawings and the following description of an illustrative embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings: I

FIG. 1 is a view in perspective of a ladys shoe with a shoe upper embodying the present inventionin one of its forms;

FIG. 2 is a section through the upper part of the shoe upper of FIG. 1 showing the construction of the combined binderand elastic strip and how 'it is secured over the upper edge of the shoe upper;

FIG. 3 is a view in perspective of a length of the combined strip of FIG. 1 before it is attached to the shoe upper and with a part of the crinkled, elastic-covering portion of the binder material strip pulled away from the length of elastic and spread out to show the appearance of the binder material strip before it is secured around the elastic;

FIG. 4 is a view in perspective of the side of the combined strip of FIG. 3 opposite from the side shown'in FIG. 3 with a part of the crinkled, elastic-covering portion of the binder material strip pulled away from the length of elastic and spread out to show the appearance of the side of the binder material strip opposite from that shown in FIG. 3 before it is secured around the elastic.

Referring to the drawings, 2 represents a ladys shoe the shoe upper 4 of which has a combined binder and elastic strip 6 made up of a length of elastic material 8, shown in the form of an elastic gore and covered by a strip 10 of non-elastic binder material of leather, vinyl, etc.

The binder strip 10 extends from one side edge 12 thereof widthwise around the length 8 of elastic back to a position opposite such one side edge 12 to cover the elastic and thence into a tail portion 14. The portion 16 of binder strip 10 which covers the. elastic 8 is gathered or crinkled in a longitudinal direction, as shown in the drawings, to permit longitudinal elongation or stretching and contraction thereof together with the clastic 8.

The eiastic 8 is secured in crinkled portion 16, as shown, by a layer 18 of an elastic rubber latex cement or adhesive.

Preferably, the binder strip 10 bends inwardly at 20 over the upper (as shown in FIG. 4) edge of the elastic 8 toward the side edge 12 of the binder strip to sub stantially close the crinkled cover portion 16 over the elastic 8, before it extends into tail portion 14. However, this is not essential.

The gathering or crinkling of portion 16 causes the unga-thered or non-crinkled tail portion 14 to assume a wave-like configuration, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, before the combined strip 6 is applied to the shoe upper and there is a puckered area 22 where the crinkled portion 16 is joined to the non-crinkled tail portion 14. This wave-like configuration of tail portion 14 is smoothed out, however, when the combined strip 6 is applied to the curved shoe upper, as shown in FIG. 2, with the tail portion 14 lying against the inside of the shoe upper.

The outer surface 23 of the tail portion 14 is smooth and the inner surface may have a thin reinforcing strip 24 of flexible material, e.g. fabric or leather, adhered thereto by an adhesive like that used between the binder strip and elastic.

The edge 26 of tail portion 14 may be scalloped, as

shown, but this is not essential. The elastic gore 8 shown comprises a plurality of elastic cords or warp 2S and fabric or elastic Woofs. However, elastic braids or any other type of elastic material can be used.

Thecom-bined strip 6 is folded over the upper edge 39 ofthe shoe upper, as shown in FIGS 1 and 2, with the elastic 8 and crinkled portion 16 covering the same extending along the outside of the shoe upper 4 embraced by the combined strip 6, a shown, 'andwith the tail portion 14 extending along the inside of the shoe upper embraced by the combined strip 6 so that no substantial The lower part of the tail portion 14 extends dowry wardly over the upper part of the backing 32 of the shoe upper approximately to the top of the counter 34. It mayoverla-p the counter slightly in which case the overlapping part will lie between the counter and backing 32.

The combined strip 6 is stitched to the upper by a line of stitchingfafi passing through the elastic 8 and crinkled cover portion 14, through the upper 4- and through the tail portion 14 and by a line of stitching 38 through the upper, the lower part of the tail portion 14 and the top portion of the shoe lining 39 which is located inside and over the tail portion 14.

It is noted in FIG. 1 that theliner 39 terminates at 41 in the particular shoe there shown.

The elastic and crinkled portion of the binder strip covering such elastic impart elasticity to theupper edge of the shoe upper and hold such upper edge snugly but yieldably in contact with the foot Without foot discomfort since the covered elastic does not contact the foot and hence does not rub against the foot during stretching and contraction. The portion of the combinedstrip which does contact the foot is the smooth tail portion which does not stretch and contract. The elastic 8 and crinkled portion 16 of the binder strip covering the same are visible along the outside of the upper edge of the shoe upper and 'provide'an exceedingly attractive orna- 4 mental beaded appearance while at the same time th combined strip binds the upper edge of the shoe upper to protect it. Thus, the same construction which provides elasticity to the upper edge of the shoe upper without rubbing against the foot also provides a novel attractive appearance and binds such upper edge to protect it.

We claim:

1. A shoe upper having folded over at least a portionof the upper edge thereof and secured to the upper in such position a combined binder and elastic strip, said combined strip comprising a length of elastic material enclosed and secured in a strip of non-elastic binder material, said binder material strip extending widthwise from one side edge thereof around said length of elastic material back to a position opposite said one side edge to substantially cover said length of; elastic material and then past said one side edge into a tail portion, the part of said binder material strip around said length of elastic material being gathered in a longitudinal direction to permit longitudinal elongation thereof with the length of elastic material Within it, said tail portion of said binder material strip being ungathered, said combined elastic and binder strip being folded over saidupper edge with the length of elastic material and thej gat-hered portion of'the binder strip covering the same lying along the out side of the shoe upper embraced by said combinedstrip and with the ungathered tail portion lying along the inside of the shoe upper embraced by said combined strip. a P V i 2. A shoe upper according to claim 1, the portion of said binder material strip adjacent said one side edge lying adjacent said outside of said upper and between the length of elastic material and the shoe upper.

3. A shoe upper according to claim 1, said binder strip comprising leather. V

. 4. An upper according to claim 1, said gathered portion of said binder strip covering said length of elastic material being adhesively secured to said length of elas- JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A SHOE UPPER HAVING FOLDED OVER AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE UPPER EDGE THEREOF AND SECURED TO THE UPPER IN SUCH POSITION A COMBINED BINDER AND ELASTIC STRIP, SAID COMBINED STRIP COMPRISING A LENGTH OF ELASTIC MATERIAL ENCLOSED AND SECURED IN A STRIP OF NON-ELASTIC BINDER MATERIAL, SAID BINDER MATERIAL STRIP EXTENDING WIDTHWISE FROM ONE SIDE EDGE THEREOF AROUND SAID LENGTH OF ELASTIC MATERIAL BACK TO A POSITION OPPOSITE SAID ONE SIDE EDGE TO SUBSTANTIALLY COVER SAID LENGTH OF ELASTIC MATERIAL AND THEN PAST SAID ONE SIDE EDGE INTO A TAIL PORTION, THE PART OF SAID BINDER MATERIAL STRIP AROUND SAID LENGTH OF ELASTIC MATERIAL BEING GATHERED IN A LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION TO PERMIT LONGITUDINAL ELONGATION THEREOF WITH THE LENGTH OF ELASTIC MATERIAL WITHIN IT, SAID TAIL PORTION OF SAID BINDER MATERIAL STRIP BEING UNGATHERED, SAID COMBINED ELASTIC AND BINDER STRIP BEING FOLDED OVER SAID UPPER EDGE WITH THE LENGTH OF ELASTIC MATERIAL AND THE GATHERED PORTION OF THE BINDER STRIP COVERING THE SAME LYING ALONG THE OUTSIDE OF THE SHOE UPPER EMBRACED BY SAID COMBINED STRIP AND WITH THE UNGATHERED TAIL PORTION LYING ALONG THE INSIDE OF THE SHOE UPPER EMBRACED BY SAID COMBINED STRIP. 